Govt identifies land near Amravati road for NIPER

By Vikas Vaidya

Government has identified a land on Amravati road situated approximately 20 kms away from Nagpur (near Mohgaon) for proposed National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER). Under dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, lands have been already identified for All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Indian Institute of Information and Technology (IIIT) while IIM has already began functioning from VNIT premises. Ending all speculation about location of proposed pharmaceutical institution, the administration has identified a 66 acre land near Mohgaon to house NIPER.
Already many national level institutions like NBSS&LUP, NRCC and JNARDCC are located on Amravati road so also the sprawling campus of Nagpur University. Even the National Academy of Defence Production is located within premises of Ambajhari Ordnance Factory and NIPER will be another addition to this list.
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had announced formation of NIPER in Nagpur, though it was not the original destination. Efforts made by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertiliser (under whom department of pharmacy works) Hansraj Ahir proved fruitful.
Two years ago, Rajesh Tope, then Higher and Technical Education Minister had initiated move to set-up three institutes at Nagpur including NIPER. He had made it clear that some academicians related to pharmacy met him and put the demand for NIPER. Tope claimed that he requested then Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar to take up matter with Centre. However, very little progress was made on the ground due to apathy of then ruling alliance, and only after change of guards at Centre and State, the demand got momentum.
Some months ago office of Joint Director, Technical Education had opined that the earlier two sites inspected were unsuitable for NIPER. Maharashtra government had directed the office of Joint Director of Technical Education in Nagpur to start afresh the process for identifying the land for setting up the prestigious institution. Accordingly the office constituted a one-man panel of VK Mourya, who is principal of Government College of Pharmacy in Amravati to identify and finalize the land.
Joint Director office had also received the letter from State’s Directorate of Technical Education (DTE). The letter said that they were looking for land measuring 50 to 100 acres for NIPER.
The lands at two different sites were inspected. One land was at Mouza Waifal, Tehsil Hingna, District Nagpur and another land was Mouza Bidborgaon, Tehsil Hingna, district Nagpur. Both lands belonged to Government.
IIIT is coming near Butibori behind Bar Sheshrao Wankhede Sutgirni, AIIMS and IIM are coming up in non-processing zone of MIHAN while National Law School is coming up near Kaldongri.
However, while Vidarbhites are happy over setting of so many premier institutions at Nagpur, there is resentment among elected representatives from other regions. Infact, State Education Minister Vinod Tawde had publicly expressed his anger over locating all major institutions at Nagpur. But much to his discomfort, even the Sports Academy of India (SAI) Centre has been relocated to Nagpur from Aurangabad, after Union Minister Nitin Gadkari firmly put his foot down. Despite so much positive development for NIPER, a delegation from Konkan unit of BJP met Tawde and expressed unhappiness for ignoring Konkan. This dangerous regional colour has been put to rest by Chief Minister who made it clear during his meet the press at Nagpur that NIPER would be located at Nagpur only as the region is emerging as major education hub, a pre-requirement to attract global investment.